There's A Beast in All of Us
by Ravinesque
Summary: The Titans wake up in a strange lab to find Robin outside, looking as if he was attacked by a bear. All of a sudden Robin seems distant and pained, as though there's some other creature inside of him...
1. Memory Failure

Heads up - this is a VERY old story. XD. You know what that entails.

* * *

Beast Boy woke up painfully.

'Ooohhh...man.' All of his joints ached; he could barely move. Beside him, Cyborg stretched and groaned. Beast Boy shoved him lightly. 'Cy! Where are we?"

They both looked around. Raven and Starfire were near, but Robin was not, and where were they? In some sort of abandoned laboratory? The floor was made of steel tiles and there were instruments, cages and blueprints all over the place, as though it had suffered an earthquake or an explosion. The room itself was the size of an auditorium. It smelt terrible, like smoke and rotting flesh.

'Ohhhh,' groaned Raven, slowly standing up. Beast Boy forced himself to stand up and helped her to balance. She gave one look at her surroundings, and frowned. 'Where is Robin?'

Beast Boy and Cyborg shrugged. Starfire sighed and stood up jerkily, the muscles making clear cracking sounds as she forced herself to stand straight. She rubbed her eyes and hobbled toward the rest of the team. "Where are we, friends?"

The Titans shook their heads slowly, heads lowered. Starfire looked around wildly. "But, but...Robin? Where is Robin?"

Cyborg laid a hand on Starfire's shoulder. "Come on Star, Robin isn't usually one to be worried over. Let's just get outta here." He and the others began to hobble toward the clearly-marked exit.

'We mustn't leave until we have successfully located Robin!' said Starfire, blocking the doorway.

'C'mon, Star. We just want a bit of fresh air!' Cyborg pushed the Tamaranean girl aside and opened the door. They were at the bottom of a short stairway leading to another, brighter door. Cyborg pulled the door inwards and nearly staggered from the burst of fresh air that blasted his face. The Titans spilled onto the sidewalk, and before they could wonder where they were, all four spotted someone lying in the gutter of the street.

'Robin!' Starfire cried. She knelt beside the unconscious body. Robin's pants were completely ripped up, and all that remained was a pair of torn green shorts. His face was y covered in scorch marks and scratches and even blood. His gloves had some huge holes in them, and his hair appeared to be burnt off in places. In fact, his whole costume looked like he had spent a weekend going commando. Starfire picked him up and tried to hold him up with his arms.

'What happened? Robin! Please speak to me Robin! Why do you not answer! Oh, Robin!' She flicked his forehead impatiently. Robin wouldn't move.

'Robin…' Starfire's voice died. "Robin…he is…' She held him close.

'No! Look!' cried Beast Boy, pointing at Robin's chest. It throbbed. Slowly.

Overjoyed, Starfire swung Robin's limp body around in circles. 'Robin! You are alright! This is wonderful! But – how did you get into this state?'

'Uh, Starfire? I think, maybe, he couldn't just answer just now…' said Cyborg, grimacing.

'Then we must get him back to Titan Tower!' said Starfire seriously, and jumped up into the air, still carrying Robin. She flew straight in the direction of the Tower. Raven took one look back down the stairs in the laboratory, then followed her. Cyborg and Beast Boy followed suit, desperate to get home.

**X X X X**

'I think he's coming round…'

'Look, he's opening his eyes…'

'He's breathing properly now…'

Robin blinked and opened his eyes. Right up close to his face were four other familiar faces.

'Yipe!' he yelled in shock, and banged into Cyborg's metal skull.

'Youch!' He fell back onto the sofa.

'Good morning!' said Beast Boy cheerily.

'We are glad you have been revived, Robin.' Starfire smiled.

Robin opened and closed his eyes several times. 'How long have I been-'

'Four weeks.' said Beast Boy promptly. 'That's how long we've been waiting for you to even open your eyes.'

'What! Four weeks?!'

'Nah, just joking.' the changeling grinned. 'We found you half an hour ag-ow!' Beast Boy rubbed his arm where Raven had hit him.

'Er, found me?'

'On the street, in the ripped attire you are clad in now.' said Starfire, pointing to the torn pants. Robin looked and his eyes widened. What had happened to him? Now that his brain was waking up, he began to notice the big holes in his usually-photographic memory.

'Where was I? How did-'

'Dude,' started Beast Boy. 'We don't even know. We just woke up this weird lab and we found you outside it – all dirty and scratched and stuff.'

'Did you see anyone?' said Robin as he tried to get up. Cyborg gently pushed him back down.

'No one.' Raven almost looked concerned.

'Not that we looked,' retorted Beast Boy. 'We were really just looking for you, man. But there wasn't really anyone else, no.'

'Oh, well…'

'Hey!' cried Cyborg, shocked at Robin's attitude. 'You don't normally give up so fast! What's up with you?'

'Nothing.'

'If you're sure…?' he asked, confused at Robin's sudden quit. 'Y'see, normally you'd get us to rush back and investigate...'

'Yea…' Robin's voice seemed distant now.

'Well, you better rest now, so...we'll see you for dinner.'

Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven all left. Starfire remained.

'Robin,' she said shyly. 'I was really worried about you. When I saw you on the ground, I thought you were-'

'Nah,' Robin interrupted. 'Course not.'

'Well, if you're sure if you're okay…I'm just thinking of all the other times you said you were okay - when, well, you weren't.'

'Really, Star. I'm fine. Just a bit disoriented, I guess.'

'Okay...' Starfire walked away sadly.

Robin closed his eyes again and fell back to sleep.

**X X X X**

Beast Boy was pacing in front of Cyborg.

'What's up with this guy?' he said, annoyed. 'Why doesn't he move? Why doesn't he train? Why isn't he talking to us?'

'C'mon, man,' said Cyborg assuredly. 'He's just tired. I mean, we did find him all ripped up. It could be something bad, like depression or something.'

'Oh, GREAT!' was the sarcastic reply. 'I've always wanted to be lead by a-'

BOOM! CRASH! SMACK!

'Yes!' yelled Cyborg. 'I won!' He held the Gamestation controller high in the air.

'You did not! You just finished my turn! Give it back!' Beast Boy made a grab for the little device.

'No, it's my turn now!'

'Is not, cheater!'

'Is too, shrimp!'

'Not!'

'Too!'

'Give it back!'

'Nyah, Nyah! Make me!'

Raven, sitting near to the pair, fumed behind her book.

'You always steal my turn!'

'Only cause you do it too!'

'Do not!'

'Do so!'

'Not'

'So!'

'SHUT UP!'

The two boys looked to where Raven was sitting. But she was still reading, though a small black flame still rose from behind the huge volume. Instead, Robin stood there, looking extremely tired and with a face like a ghost.

'Oh…Robin…' Beast Boy and Cyborg bit their lips and stood to attention.

'Do you HAVE to fight every hour we don't fight crime?!' He was furious. His eyes, which scared Cyborg and Beast Boy the most, were almost flaming behind his mask, though his face was as white as a sheet.

'Well,' said the changeling, shuffling his feet. 'That's a bit harsh, ain't it? I mean we were just-'

'You fight just because you want everything your OWN way – and it's always just to do with the Gamestation! Why don't I confiscate it, eh? At least you'd SHUT UP for once! Raven at least is able to put with your-' Before he could finish the sentence, Robin collapsed and hit the floor.

'Robin?!'

'Hey! Robin!'

There was no answer.


	2. Flashback

It was one of those days. Y'know, one of those crimeless ones where the sun was shining and everyone in the Tower was lying around enjoying the feeling of boredom.

'What's on the TV?' asked Cyborg lazily.

'Pff!' snorted Beast Boy. 'Dust.'

BOOM! Cyborg and Beast Boy shrieked and clutched each other. Raven had just closed her book.

'What's with that?!' asked Beast Boy indignantly.

'I'm just closing my book.' said the dark girl innocently.

'Hey,' started Cyborg. 'Why are you _always _reading books?'

'Because books are more mind-stimulating than useless trash such as Gory Gunner Attack and The Night of the Hideous Zombie Invasion.'

'First of all, it's _Gross _Gunner Attack, and it's _Horrible _Zombie invasion. And anyway, why do you even bother to know the names of my games and movies?'

At that moment, the alarm sounded out, and all three Titans jumped up at the first red alert flash.

'Wazzat?!' yelled Beast Boy, as Cyborg used him as a vault to make a long jump toward the main computer. The weight almost crushed him.

Raven fiddled with a few buttons and made a close up view of the beeping location. Robin and Starfire ran into the room.

'Hel-lo…'

'What happened? What's up?' Beast Boy clambered up onto Cyborg's shoulders.

Raven pointed in a hello-you-idjit-why-don't-you-just-look-at-the-damn-screen sort of way. The location of interest was-

'Just a normal house? But the police handle all of that domestic stuff! Howcum it shows up on the screen?'

The girls rolled their eyes and looked to Robin, who smiled.

'Why don't we just go and see?'

**X X X X**

It turned out to be, in fact a false alarm.

'Aw, man.' whined Beast Boy, clutching his arms. 'We're out in this freezing cold wind in the evening and it's a _false alarm_?'

Robin looked around, checking in nearby alleys and around trashcans. 'It can't've been a false alarm. How is that possible? Our radar is foolproof.'

'Foolproof, my butt.' said Beast Boy under his breath.

Robin turned to face his friends, and opened his mouth to say something when he fell over forward, as though someone had just hit him from behind. Beast Boy was about to cry out when he also hit by an invisible something and fell over, unconscious. This time, Raven noticed what was happening.

'Darts! Someone's shooting darts! Take cover and-' She was hit in the neck by a thin, tiny black spear and fell over backwards.

Cyborg stood over Starfire, because he knew no dart could penetrate his metallic armour. Nevertheless, Starfire let out a short sigh and doubled over. The half-robot looked surprised and that look was paused for a while as someone zapped him with some weird weapon, and he shut down.

All Titans had fallen in that short moment.

**X X X X**

Raven woke first.

She was held upright by retaining, flat steel rods, which acted like tape as she was lying on a vertical bed of metal. There were several of these metal "bed" plates joined to hers – one on her left, and three on her right. The second thing she noticed was her inability to use telekinesis. There was a slight laser haze surrounding her forehead and joining to the metal behind her head. This muddled her mind and forced her only to concentrate on the physical world. It was as if Nevermore's doorway was slightly blocked.

The third thing she realised was that the other metal beds were occupied by her friends. Cyborg looked stoned with glassy eyes on her left, while on her right, in order, were Robin, Beast Boy and Starfire, shlumped unconsciously. All of them were starting to wake.

'Aha! I see my subjects are beginning to arouse! It is time to be on with the program!'

Raven looked toward the unfamiliar voice. It was a rather short, fattish man with a dirty white labcoat. He had frizzled grey hair and wild eyes – the classic picture of a mad scientist. What was most unusual about him was a strange-looking belt with little glass orbs attached to every inch of its length.

'Raven!' he cried happily, which made Raven quiver uncertainly. He seemed completely out of his mind.

'Ohhhhh…' was what the Titans on her right said. They were all waking up properly. Still Cyborg stared unseeingly.

'What is this place?' asked Starfire groggily.

'I'm cold…' Beast Boy complained.

Robin said nothing but stared at their captor.

'Teen Titans, you are in the laboratory of Professor Stryfe,' started the weirdo. 'Soon to be one of the test rooms of the most powerful being on earth!'

'Who's he?' asked Beast Boy. 'And why hasn't Cyborg woken up yet?'

The Professor sighed and flipped a toggle which made a loud ZAP. Cyborg jolted up and looked around him wildly. 'Whereziz? Whozzat?'

'I,' said the short man pompously. 'am Professor Stryfe. Soon to be the most powerful man on the earth.'

'Oh, puh-_leaze_,' groaned the green changeling. 'We've heard it all before! C'mon Star, zap yourself outta there!'

Starfire wriggled furiously. 'My starbolts are not igniting my hands! I cannot conjure a starbolt at all!' Two steel wristplates on her metallic bed glowed green in the light receptors around her hands, but other than that, there was no sudden bang of victory from Starfire's hands.

'Raven?' said Robin, saying all that was needed to be said with a hopeful look.

But the dark girl closed her eyes, answering him without words.

'There is no point trying to escape, you are all here to do my will and there's nothing you can do about it! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!'

'The guy's a loon!' whispered Beast Boy to Starfire. 'Nutty! Bonkers!'

'Silence!' shouted Stryfe angrily. 'Now, when I was young I always thought-'

'Oh, GREAT! Another fantastic monologue.' Beast Boy struggled even harder. 'Dude, I've heard too many to care.'

'SHUT UP!' Stryfe stomped his foot childishly.

'Are you just gonna give us a life story or tell us why we're here?'

Stryfe flicked another toggle and Beast Boy was zapped three times with a translucent blue thunderbolt. 'Silence when I speak!

'When I was young, I always thought that it would be wonderful if a life force could be fused with another. It was, of course inevitable, that clones would be invented. It is also known that it is quite impossible to fuse to physical beings together. So I spent my entire life trying to find a way to do such a thing. Amidst my research, I found out that a life force is driven by something even further than science – something physical possibility could not penetrate. It is what is known as just, plain Life. And I must admit I felt like giving up at that stage…'

The Titans all sighed, barely listening.

'I didn't give up though, how could I? So I figured out the secret: I had to extract the life force out of the body first. Once the life force was obtained, technically it had to bend to my will. So I spent many years researching and invented this little gizmo.' he pointed to the studded-glass belt. 'These glass orbs are the finest, purest glass you could ever possibly have. They are specially designed to _contain _a life force. I know they will because the purest thing existing on this earth is Life, and crystal is almost as pure.'

'You're deluded, Stryfe.' said Robin. 'As if crystal could be anywhere near the extremities of Life.'

'You're right, there, Robin. Crystal and glass are definitely nowhere near the purity of Life, but it is the closest we can get – and so it will have to do.'

'But...I do not understand!' cried Starfire, panicking. 'How is it possible to extract a life force out of its own physical form? It has never been done – and never should! It's WRONG!'

'It's SICK!' yelled Beast Boy.

'It's EVIL!' screamed Raven, and struggled against the blockage of Nevermore. The white laser light surrounding her forehead started to crackle menacingly, and began to change from white to black.

Once again, the professor flipped a toggle. ZAP!

Raven sighed and stopped struggling, but she still stared at Stryfe with that familiar hate in her eyes.

Stryfe continued. 'Now, since I have figured out how to extract a life force, the trick is to put it back in…'

'You never told us exactly _how_ you're going to extract this life force thingy.' said Cyborg, curious despite himself.

'It's very hard to explain. Have you even heard the phrase "driven out of your mind"?'

He was met with more confused faces.

'Right. I will be reassigning these life forces to another, better, _stronger_ body…'

'...force_s_? You mean more than one?' asked Starfire, frightened.

'Yes, of course luvvie.' Stryfe sneered. 'I'll be extracting _your_ life forces from your own pathetic bodies!'

'So that's how you think you'll be the most powerful being upon the Earth?' said Beast Boy who was beginning to freak out.

'Of course, ugly green one. That is it.'

'Hey! Less of the ugly...'

'But, won't more than one life force be too much for an old man like you?' said Cyborg rudely.

'Oh! You didn't seriously think _I_ would take all your life forces, did you? No, no…too much for an old man like me…'

'We should've known!' said Robin. 'You're just the same as any old villain, too cowardly to test yourself.'

'This is not a question of _cowardice_, Robin. This is of body strength and capacity. I could not possibly hold so many life forces!'

'Than who will hold them?' Raven glared at Stryfe.

Stryfe leered at her. 'Do you really wanna know?'

They all nodded.

'My world domination weapon is gonna be-'

**Stay tuned for more…please review!**


	3. A Beast is Born

The Titans held their breaths.

'...him.' Stryfe pointed gleefully.

'WHAT!?' all five screamed, shocked at his choice.

Robin sweated a little. 'Me?' he squeaked. 'You don't even know it's going to work!'

'I do, and it will.' Stryfe cackled evilly. He then started to connect long, thick cables to each of the Titan's head staples. To Robin's, he connected four.

The Teen Titans still were struck dumb with shock. All of their life force was going to be sucked out and put into Robin's!

'Oh, don't you fret,' said Stryfe. 'It's like having all Titans in one body – the ultimate superhero! Or villain, from now on…'

Robin struggled harder against his staples. Wriggling like mad, he started to shriek in desperation, more terrified than the other four. In times of crisis, Robin was usually the calmest, and seeing their leader in such terror gave the other Titans even more reason to panic. They looked at each other disbelievingly, hoping this was just a nightmare.

'Stay still, you idiot,' scolded Stryfe. 'You'll hurt yourself on the staples. I want your body to be in perfect shape for this transition.'

Robin's eyes were wide in fright and his face was whiter than a sheet. He made worried squeaks.

Stryfe connected all the ends of the cables into a glass orb each on his belt. Then he pulled down a huge, red lever.

Instantly, Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven and Cyborg screamed and roared with pain, colour draining from their cheeks. Their eyes stared unseeingly. Meanwhile, Robin watched them, helpless and hopeless. Suddenly, all four heroes went eerily still. Robin couldn't help but notice that in four glass orbs on the professor's belt, thick white mist settled.

Robin stared in disbelief.

It couldn't be…

No…

The Titan's end…

Stryfe cackled mightily. 'Mwahahahahaha! The Titans are HIS-tory!' He made a sort of victory dance upon the steel tiled floor. 'Gone! All gone! Hahahahaha!'

Robin lowered his gaze at the mad scientist. This was all HIS fault, he should have been aware of that sniper! He should have been prepared for this sort of thing!

'And now, my weapon of destruction,' said Stryfe walking up to Robin and drawing an imaginary line down the leader's cheek. 'We shall start the ultimate War!' and he flipped multiple switches; pulled a few levers, and then, strangely, put his hands on Robin's cheeks, which were shaking with fear.

'Human contact is needed for the transition.' he explained. And Robin heard a faint whirring sound, which got louder and louder until finally-

'AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!'

It was the most painful experience he had ever endured! Endless, excruciating pain! Burning, screaming, hissing! It was torture! Worse than torture! Robin wanted to die then and there, if only it would stop the pain! Everything in his body was shrieking, calling for an end to it.

On the other hand, there was surprise as well as pain – for Stryfe was screaming too.

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! STOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!! LET ME GOOOOOOOOO!!!' It seemed not all was going to plan.

'STOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!! PLEEEEEEEEEASE LET ME GOOOOOO!!!'

Robin suddenly felt calm, then he felt shocked, then he felt laughter.

Anger.

Love.

HATE!

But most of all…

FEAR!!

He screamed, and screamed, and that scream became a yowl, and then a roar.

'ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!'

His clothes suddenly seemed tight, and very itchy. His pants split and his legs showed – only, they weren't his legs, they were black...and furry?

His shoes burst off and instead of feet there were wolf-like paws, huge, bent, and clawed. His muscles were mutating, not only growing but changing shape and direction.

Out of his fingertips burst long knifelike claws, and there were holes made in his gloves as his muscles expanded and long black fur protruded through. The fur made its way up his arm like a parasite. His legs were already all black and furry, and the remains of his pants, which were only torn shorts now, started to spilt as Robin transformed.

Out of his backside a huge fluffy tail burst, like a foxes – big and bushy, but black.

Stryfe and Robin continued to yell.

'LEEEEET MEEEEEE GOOOOOOOOO!!!! I'MMM SOOOOOORRRRYYYYYY!!!!'

'RAAARRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!!'

Robin's teeth grew longer and sharper, into fangs – two of which hung outside of his mouth, piercing his bottom lip.

Suddenly, the Teen Titans' leader gave one final mighty roar and broke free of his staples. The metal burst off of the wall and flew in all directions, scattering loose instruments and destroying equipment. Stryfe's hands were stuck to his, and he tried to pull them off, with hands nearly transformed into paws.

Stryfe's eyes were bloodshot and his face white. His hands were wrenched off with humongous effort from Robin. If anyone had cared to notice, all four glass orbs had been emptied.

Robin growled loudly, and bared his fangs. Then, with a huge green, black, and blue explosion, he was gone.

The old, short professor kneeled, only half-alive, onto the scorched floor. The remaining four Titans had fallen out of their "beds", for when Robin had broken his, all others had followed. Their lifeless bodies stared glassily at him, freaking him out and making him whimper.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry….'

**X X X X**

Robin knew not who he was. The transformation he had endured had not finished properly, and his mind was a complete mess, nothing connecting together.

He was about a head taller, and his legs were long and sinewy. They looked like a great cat's hinds or a wolf's. Like most cats, he was standing on tiptoes, with his heels looking like backwards knees. His _paws_ were huge and clawed, and all of his bottom half had been covered in shaggy black fur.

His hands were still hands, not paws, but they were still furry and clawed. His forearms were covered in fur, but the fur receded as it made its way up his arm. It was clear he had not completed the transformation properly.

His cape resembled a torn scarf, and his pants were now shorts – both tatty. His fangs – he licked them, almost wishing he had something to bite down on. Mostly, Robin was still humanoid. Stryfe had not been expecting such a transformation, and Robin had been turning into a monster. Luckily he had pulled off the professor's hands then – or he would surely be completely lost. Right now, he was just…in-between. A beast, but not a monster.

Robin's memories had been completely shattered. He didn't know who he was, where he was, and most importantly, _what_ he was.

The Titans were lost.

His past was lost.

He was just a mindless beast with powers no villain could imagine.

**Okay, I know the ending sucked, but it will carry on…I PROMISE!** **PLEASE review, I love any message!**


	4. Newfound powers

_**Somewhere in the HIVE:**_

'Okay, listen up you three,' resumed the headmistress of the HIVE Academy. 'Another mission calls. This time, it's not vengeance or extermination It's personal.'

'You mean we're working for us?' asked Gizmo. Jinx and Mammoth stood on either side of him.

'_Yes_, you are. An extraordinary being has arrived on our radar. It has amazingly compact strength and energy. Although it stays in the same sector, no firm picture had been captured of it because it moves lightning-fast.' Jinx blinked. Had she just heard the headmistress use a metaphor? 'I need you to _capture_ it.'

Mammoth punched his fist into his other hand. 'Easy,' he said, grinning.

'This ISN'T easy at ALL!' growled their teacher. 'However, if you will fail, you will most definitely regret it.'

'I will also assign two more members to your team,'

'WHAT!?'

'Don't "what" me, Gizmo. This is serious. You know this has been coming for some time, I've just been wondering who to add. I will put Haste on your team…for today's mission only.'

'_Haste_?' Jinx groaned. 'Please no.'

'I like you too, babe.' Said a voice in her ear. Jinx scowled and turned to face the newcomer. It was a boy of similar dimensions to Beast Boy wearing a full black bodysuit, with blood-red flames on the wrists and ankles. He wore tight-fitting black sneakers and his blonde hair was slicked down with something that smelled totally repulsive. Jinx backed away.

He saw Jinx staring at his hair. 'Lubrication,' he said pulling his hand smoothly over his scalp in a put-on suave way. 'I'm the slickest there is.'

'Ugh, chees-_ey_!' she dismissed him with a turn of her head.

'And also,' said the headmistress. 'I have assigned Friction to your team.'

'Friction too?' Gizmo muttered, as another walked in. 'I forgot they were siblings.'

Friction was nothing like her brother. Her hair was still short but far longer Haste's. It was spiky and brown, and she wore an entirely different costume. It consisted of a sort of robe-like top that stopped at the top of her legs and only continued down the back of them. Her whole outfit was green. And she was much, much taller than her brother. She had a rebellious look, and at that moment the HIVE trio decided not to get on her wrong side.

The newly-made quintet set off to find their target.

_**In the centre of Jump City:**_

Robin was not Robin. Not physically or mentally. His body, now mutated to look half-beast, half-human, was capable of anything – and he knew it. His mind only knew what he saw before him now. Deep, deep down, if he looked hard enough, he might've remembered something, but he didn't think to, how could he?

He was like a new-born baby, thoughtless and unsure, but he was not weak…oh no…in fact, he couldn't be further from it. Just by imagining it, he could conjure a bright ball of energy in his hand, colours of green, blue and black in a swirl of fire. These could detonate whenever he felt like, and he was enjoying himself as he threw these phenomena at dustbins and chimneys.

With his long and sinewy legs, he could commit amazingly high leaps, onto the rooves buildings with a single jump. His foot paws were padded so softly that he felt nothing when he landed, even from a long way up. The joy and elation of it thrilled him, as though it was a game he had invented when he was two. He gambolled and leaped around, destroying anything he felt like, laughing inside with innocent joy. Robin leaped from rooftop to rooftop, feeling the unbridled glee of flight sink beneath his soul, before landing again and jumping again. His long, thin furry legs bent perfectly as he tested his new-found powers. Once high in the air, he would conjure a fireball of the curious energy, and hurl it at some random target. It was fun!

Unbeknownst to him, five HIVE students were searching for him. Their mission: to capture him alive and unhurt.

_**HIVE FIVE:**_

Gizmo was beginning to hate Haste even more than the Titans. Haste could run incredibly fast, and do just about anything in fast-forward. However, this was about the only thing he was good at. He laughed at Gizmo's jetpack and kept flirting with Jinx, and he had no concept of the word "subtle." He ran in circles around and around the group as they sped across the city toward their target. The only member not hissing at him was his own sister, Friction. Haste zipped backwards and ran painstakingly slow alongside her. She could see the struggle on his face to be so slow.

'Wazzup, sis?' he put on a babyish voice.

Friction glared something nasty at him. Haste grinned.

'Hey sis...you reckon Miss Jinx…oh, man...she's so hot…'

Friction still said nothing, rolling her eyes. This time though, Jinx heard, and she couldn't take any more if it. She sent a flying kick right into Haste's abdomen. 'Shut the hell up, loser!' she cried.

There was a cry, and all three looked ahead to see Gizmo screaming, flying through the air with his jetpack wrecked. Smoke trailed from it.

'What the-' started Jinx, but Haste zoomed ahead of her to catch Gizmo and the tailwind blew against her violently. The remaining four saw a weird humanoid creature crouched in a defensive stance and growling fiercely upon the pizza stand's rooftop.

'That's what we want!' yelled Jinx, and she, Mammoth and Gizmo all drew together instinctively. 'That's the target!'

Haste ran right up the wall to the rooftop and sped around the creature in circles, looking at it from all angles in a quick inspection. Before he could speed back again, the creature grabbed his wrist with lightning-reflexes and hurled him off of the roof.

'Arrggh!' he cried as he plummeted. _Crunch!_ The impact stunned him and he fell about clumsily.

Jinx looked shocked for a moment at the strength of one with such a small capacity. The creature's throw had had more velocity than one of Mammoth's greatest, and yet look at its body – it wasn't much bigger than her own, excepting for mutated muscles and the fur.

The pink witch could not have recognised Robin, mainly because of his new appearance, but his costume was burnt, filthy and ripped. The only thing still like Robin was the mask.

With Jinx's help, Mammoth flew into the air and aimed a body-slam at the strange creature, thinking if it played at his game, this would be his match. But his gargantuan strength was completely dwarfed by this thing – it didn't even try to avoid the attack. Before Mammoth had reached contact with it, it threw its partially gloved (and furry) hand forward and, to his surprise, the impact made him go flying – bowling Haste, Gizmo and Jinx over.

Friction didn't move. She just watched the creature with amusement..

'Rooooowwwwwwrahhhhh!!!!!' it growled, and leapt an impossible leap onto a nearby building. The HIVE followed it, and the battle continued on and above the rooftops of the city.

Gizmo tried all of his weapons; grenades, missiles, rockets and machine-gun fire. If the creature didn't dodge each projectile with incredible ease, it threw strangely coloured fireballs which causes his missiles to explode.

Mammoth tried countless times to attack the creature, but it only sent him flying again and again. His punches and body-slams made no difference. Haste was just as useless.

Jinx could barely keep up as well. There was hardly any battle-pattern happening here and she was confused as to what to do. The creature could avoid everything she threw at it.

Meanwhile, Friction still hadn't moved. All she did was watch. But watching had proved useful, even if her team-mates thought she was afraid or slacking.

She noticed how the creature had definite signs of human movement, and was using its powers as though they were new and strangely exciting. It thrilled itself in throwing the anomalous fireballs, and it even looked as though it might have been laughing as it dodged many an attack. Its tail was not being used as most animals used it – for balance. It hung uselessly, as though the creature didn't even realise it was there. As well as that, its amazing catlike legs sometimes bent wrong, like the creature forgot they were structured like that. It tried to bend as a human would.

Friction also had noticed its claws. They were shining silver, glinting in the sunlight. Each one on its "hands" was an inch-and-a-half long, but the ones on its foot paws were longer, yet blunter. They were used for grip, while the hand ones for attack. All these observations had made a battle strategy short for Friction.

She suddenly jumped forward, surprising the others as they thought she had fled. Looking hard at the creature, she drew her hand out and waved to the left, as though pushing an invisible thing aside.

**X X X X**

What did these creatures want from him? They were interrupting his games.

Robin suddenly felt the most peculiar sensation, and realised he was being thrown to the side by a something that wasn't there. He smashed into the wall of a taller building and before realising the pain, jumped onto its roof.

All three original HIVE members looked to Friction; the twin who they thought was just a powerless loner. She had something special, but what it was, they weren't sure.

The green teen spread her armsand flew up to the taller building's roof. There she stood alone, facing the opponent, the target.

There was a slight breeze, and Friction sneered. The wind suddenly seemed to maximize into a gale and Robin had trouble staying flat on the ground.

Friction ran up to him on air itself and head-butted him – rather pathetic, but it sent Robin flying. He did a backwards somersault in the air and landed back on his feet on another building. When reoriented, he threw myriad fireballs at her, but none of them seemed to get her. She didn't control them, but simply turned in the air so the compressed energy sped by her without contact.

Robin's face changed from glee to surprise to anger.

'RAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!' he roared, and leapt from building to building as he sped away from her, expecting and hoping for a chase.

He wasn't disappointed.

_**Okay, there's chapter four done…FINALLY! Maybe I shouldn't have put HIVE into this story – it wasn't in my first plot…but I guess that's too late now. I hope you enjoyed my story so far…and no worries – it's nowhere near finished! So please review and you might get the next chapter faster than this one came…THANKS!**_


	5. The End of the Beginning

_**On some random rooftop, the middle of the city:**_

Robin felt strange. Since his mind was as new as a baby's, the emotions his teenaged body was trying to express were met with confusion. He couldn't name them, nor could he understand what they meant. There was an overwhelming feeling of anger that never went away, and Robin kept interpreting it as being happy. A bad happy.

Leaping energetically, he bounced from roof to roof away from the girl, Friction, who chased him in the air – her powers still unknown to him. Anger was surging through him. How _dare_ she try to defeat him?! He was better than everyone, everything! Nothing could stand to power like his! He just wanted to be left alone, to have fun. He wanted to destroy things...what could be more fun than that? He tried to smile and his awkward fangs dug painfully into his bottom lip.

Robin glanced behind him. The green-dressed girl flew after him, almost lazily, and had a big stupid, smug expression on her face.

How he hated that look.

How he _hated _her.

_**Friction's POV:**_

This was too easy.

Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth stared in shock at the sister of obnoxious Haste. Even they had not yet discovered what she could do. Was she telekinetic? Surely not, that was Raven, a Teen Titan. Her powers were different to this.

She had pushed the "creature" to the side with nothing but a sweep of her hand. And when she had felt a breeze, it had suddenly developed into a fully-fledged windstorm.

Did she control wind, maybe?

But Friction knew exactly what she was capable of, and knew exactly how to use it. She was Perfection.

She controlled movement. Friction. That was what she could do. She could increase or decrease the power of friction. How could anything oppose her, with powers such as this? Friction knew she would one day be more powerful than she could even imagine, but right now she had to make use of the energy she owned at the moment.

Those HIVE guys were so pathetic compared to her. They were _nothing_!

_**X X X X**_

Robin felt the anger towards her deepen and grow. It took root inside his heart, the heart that held five forces of life together – the heart that couldn't handle any more anger escalated into mindless fury. That very fury transformed into a rage that Robin's mental and physical inside could not control.

He stopped running and leaping and stood, facing Friction in a slightly hunched position. He glared at her with hate. A hate multiplied by five.

'RAAAAAAROOOAAAAARRROOOOOWWWWW!!!' He roared so loud it even paused Friction in her flight. She took it for a bluff, and kept on, which was her first mistake.

Robin clutched his head with his clawed hands, roaring and growling. He wrenched and twisted into several positions. There was suddenly a great, sickening, ripping sound, and out of Robin's back appeared two wings. Great, black-feathered wings. Each wing was twice, almost thrice, the size of Robin himself. They stretched agonizingly out of his back, heavy at first and still extremely painful, but then they folded around his mutated body, and he grinned a fanged grin at Friction, who saw him for what he was.

A beast. A real beast, one who had no room for so much hate and anger inside one body. Those malevolent emotions, instead of calming down, grew until they just physically transformed the beast's body. Wings had arrived. Before, claws.

Next, who knew?

She couldn't capture this, it had to be destroyed.

But Robin wouldn't let her prevail again…

He put his hands in front of him, wide, as though measuring something. In the centre of that space came a small bright blue sparkle. It grew, and as it grew, a black blot of energy spiralled inside it, and following that, a neon green blot. That hideous ball of fire grew and grew until its full expansion had reached Robin's hands. He widened them even more, until the ball was as big as himself.

He threw it.

Friction never had a chance.

_**The HIVE five:**_

'Omigosh!'

'SIS!'

'Uh, oh…'

'_Gulp'_

A sizzled body sailed through the air, black and lifeless. It hit the ground out of their sight and hearing.

To their horror, the creature stretched his wings to their full extent, longer than a bus. It took to the air.

'I'm gone.' said Haste, and really was before he had finished the sentence.

Jinx gulped uncertainly. Out of habit, she and her colleagues got into formation, perfecting their battle stances and waiting for the moment.

Robin, immensely enjoying the feeling of flight, had forgotten them. Trying to ignore the pain of them, he flapped the gigantic wings and flew straight up into the sky, howling in delight. He smiled, stabbing his bottom lip again. Suddenly he pinned his wings to his sides and dropped down like a bullet. Momentum smothered him as he fell, descending into the atmosphere of the city again and aiming for the asphalt ground.

Gizmo was freaking out as he watched the creature of their nightmares plunge to its death. Was this suicide or just plain stupidity? All three of them braced for the forcible impact that "it" would make.

But before "it" hit the ground, the nightmare wings spread fully, almost drowning their possessor in their myriad feathers. An abrupt and sudden halt made the HIVE flinch with surprise – Robin hadn't even touched the ground. Once fully landed, Robin made a wolfish grin and showed his clean, filed fangs. He aimed it at his to-be captors. With it he sent a spine-chilling howl, one that made Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo quiver fearfully.

There was then abrupt silence. Nothing – no one – moved at all.

Silence.

Suddenly Robin growled and leapt at them, wings spread, claws drawn. 'Grrraaaaahhh!!!!'

The HIVE's wits deserted them. They fled with speed they hadn't known they had, leaving the nightmare behind – probably to feast on Friction's body.

Robin made no move to chase them, but he was angered at their retreat.

Unfortunately, he still hadn't learnt what that could do to him. The anger, slower this time, bred at his heart, and moved through his veins. It spread more widely this time, because Robin had not had a single outburst of fury – he just seethed with hate at his now ruined hour-long life. Once it had reached his fingertips, his head, and returned to his heart, the anger did its job.

'RARRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!'

It burned him! It burned oh so much! Stop it! Stop it! Please stop the pain! It seared through him, wrenching him from side to side. His wings flapped and he took off, roaring and screaming, clutching his head. He flew in circles, up and down; he crashed and twisted in the air...but he could not rid himself of the pain.

Small words entered his head then…_Anger…it'll only lead to hate…and that'll only lead to pain. You failed a life more worth living than any other. You're pathetic. It's time to die now…_

He knew they weren't real; they were just words of a mind that didn't exist. But he listened. And remembered. And got very, very angry.

_This will come to haunt you one day…in your death you will live a life of failure, misery and regret. There is nothing to save you now…you have died…_

'ROOAAAAAAARRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…'

He collapsed from the air. His tail, paws and fur evaporated, he was Robin once more. Before he hit the asphalt, he was already unconscious.

He died that life…but it wasn't lost…

Not just yet…

_**It might not have been as good as it could have been…but oh well. By the way, I describe Friction so much for a reason. PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	6. Neverending nightmares

_**Titan's Tower**_

'ROBIN!' bellowed Beast Boy right into Robin's ear.

Robin opened his eyes. What was he doing here? Wasn't he dead?

Starfire and Raven let out a huge sigh of relief. 'We are glad you have awakened, Robin!' said the Tamaranean.

'Um…woken up?' Then he remembered. The whole thing was a dream! Just a dream! Hah! That took off a lot of regret and sorrow.

But still he felt different. Beast Boy held out his hand to hoist him up, and Robin took it. But he could not suppress a gasp of surprise as he touched the changeling's skin. Suddenly he _knew_. He _knew_ how Beast Boy felt. He _knew _what Beast Boy was thinking. As if he could've always known but didn't know how.

'Dude, you okay?' his friend asked.

'Yea, yea I'm fine.' said Robin, softly, but fell into the changeling's arms.

He felt strangely _connected_ with Beast Boy, and when Starfire touched him, he felt even more emotions rush into him. He _knew_ Starfire. Somehow, that dream wasn't _just _a dream.

Each Titan he made contact with sent another rush of thoughts into his head. It was both scary and interesting. It wasn't that he was sneaking into their minds, but he just _knew_.

'You're sure you're okay?' asked Cyborg, peering into Robin's stricken face.

'I'm fine! Really!' was the snappy reply, and their leader strode out of the room. All of the Titans blinked in surprise.

When he was out of sight, Raven folded her arms and her cloak settled around her body.

'He's not, you know.'

Beast Boy, Starfire and Cyborg all looked at her.

'You do NOT know that. Robin is fine if he says he is!' Starfire's voice was riddled with uncertainty.

Her outburst was only greeted with cynical glances. They all knew something was troubling Robin. But what was it? And why did he suddenly faint in front of them five minutes ago? Robin was virtually a god – nothing could ever make him so weak.

'Uh, Star?' Beast Boy shuffled his feet. 'Maybe it'd be best if you talked to him. Y'know, you're the best at that sort of thing.'

But Starfire would not steal into Robin's mind. She was determined to believe that Robin could fix his own problem. But the other three Titans had learned from the "incident" with Slade and knew Robin needed help.

Eventually, Raven decided there was only one thing for it. She told the others.

'WHAT?' was Cyborg's prompt reply.

'Ummmm…' Beast Boy trembled.

'Please, Raven...it's very wrong to sneak into someone's mind.' Starfire shook her head in disbelief.

'Sorry Starfire, but Robin is always intent on suffering alone, and none of us can make him open up. If you truly want to help him, then let me enter his mind.'

Almost in tears, Starfire nodded and hid her face.

_**Robin's room, Titan's Tower**_

Raven snuck in, and he either didn't notice, or ignored her. She held the imposing mirror up, and was about to chant when Robin turned around and said:

'Raven, I'm scared.'

It was the most random and unlikely thing for Robin to say that Raven almost blew up his face.

She lowered the mirror behind her back and looked at him curiously.

'Scared of what?' she said, sitting on the bed beside him.

He looked at her with bloodshot eyes. 'Scared of me.'

Another random sentence. 'Why?'

Now he looked at the floor. 'I don't know. I think I had a nightmare.'

This stiffened Raven's back. She knew both Robin and nightmares very well. First – Robin would normally never admit that. Second – This was definitely not a normal nightmare.

'What about?'

Robin hugged his knees. 'I can't tell you. I don't even know myself.' He was shaking.

The dark girl could not comfort him. She knew almost how he felt. He couldn't trust himself to say anything. Or think anything other than what his mind made him think. He had been gripped by something – and he didn't know how to make it let go. Even she couldn't help him there. He had to discover that himself. Either he told the Titans, or he fought his inner demons. She left him there, buried in his own misery, crying to herself that she could not help her friend – ever.

_**Somewhere deep underground…**_

The giant TV suddenly switched on. 'Mister Slade? Are you there Mister Slade?' came the headmistress' voice.

'Would I be anywhere else?' was the sharp reply from the tall, dark figure, standing in front of her great image.

She shuffled a bit before saying, 'I have a proposition.'

'No more students. We agreed on that.'

'No. This is about a claim.'

'Land?'

'No, person.'

'Ahhh, you claim something but can't get it?'

This brought down the old woman's dignity by a long mile. 'Yes, that is it. There is a creature of sorts out there and we have lost it for the moment. It is stronger than anything I have ever seen, faster too. I sent my top graduates and two more to retrieve it – and they came back beaten, bruised and terrified out of their minds. Well, only four returned, actually.'

'Where is the fifth?'

'Dead.'

'Oh. I'm sorry.' Slade said in a very unsympathetic way.

'Well?'

Slade paused before asking, 'What is to stop me taking it for myself?'

A small grin appeared on her lips. 'You may keep it, train it, discipline it, and all of that. Once you're done taming it, you can hand it over. We will of course be prepared to pay for your troubles.'

'I doubt it.'

'It's the best I could do.'

Slade smiled behind his mask. 'I accept. But send me an image and stats on this…"creature". '

The image of the headmistress disappeared and in its place were statistics of unreal proportions.

'Hmmm…interesting.'

_Grah!_

'Yes, Cinderblock. They are amazing…'

Slade tapped a few buttons and a video clip came up. It showed Haste getting smacked into the wall by an amazingly small creature for such great strength. Its legs were slightly taller than a human teen's and were covered in black fur. It had great paws and claws, and fangs. Even a tail.

Slade watched it until Friction was killed – that was when Gizmo had stopped his video feed. He zoomed in on the creature. It was wearing torn clothes, and he looked closely at them. There, over its heart, was an unmistakeable "**R**".

'Ahhhhh…' Slade smirked. Suddenly he knew so much about that creature of hell.

_**Titan's Tower**_

Robin hadn't come out of his room all day.

Raven had told the others about her not entering his mind, and they hadn't really argued. But all of them steadily grew impatient at Robin's fear of surfacing. Gamestation was played, food was eaten and training was done. Everyone was bored out of their minds.

'I wish he'd just tell us,' whined Beast Boy for the umpteenth time. 'I KNOW he knows what happened to us. That's OUR business too, y'know. Why can't he tell us that at least?'

'Beast Boy, puh-_leaze_,' groaned Cyborg. 'Just shut up about it!' As they spoke, twilight delivered its last farewell.

'But-'

'Beast Boy!' Cyborg, Raven and Starfire scolded tiredly.

'Awww…' there was a long pause of silence. Then Beast Boy suddenly stood up from the couch.

'I can't stand this anymore! Either he talks, or I make him!' and he stomped out of the living room.

No one made any move to follow. The Titan's looked at each other sadly.

_**Robin's room:**_

Beast Boy lost most of his anger momentum as he opened the door of Robin's room. Robin was there, in the darkness. Kneeling before nothing and whimpering in either pain or fear.

At the sight of his helpless leader, the changeling crumpled his rebukes, and slowly made his way to the centre of the room.

'Robin?' he enquired.

Robin did not turn from his position, but still spoke,

'Help…please…'

Beast Boy knelt beside him and saw Robin's face. It was contorted in something beyond fear _or_ pain.

'What is wrong?'

Robin put out an arm around Beast Boy's shoulders and held there, as if for support.

'Make it go…it's pulling me under…the dark…ohhhh…' he was ready to faint, but his body and mind would not let him.

But Beast Boy just didn't understand.


	7. Going Under

**_Going Under_**

**__**

****

_This is in Robin's point of view…_

I wish I could tell them. But how could I? I couldn't possibly, I just couldn't.

The beast inside of me, it hasn't let go. Why didn't it die? Why isn't it dead?

I hate him…I hate Stryfe so much. I want to kill him. Kill him! I hate him!

**_Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies_**

**_So I don't know what's real and what's not_**

**_Always confusing the thoughts in my head_**

**_So I can't trust myself anymore_**

****

That beast in my heart is pulling me down; it grasps my soul and tears it apart! Why won't it die and go away?

Why hasn't it died?

Will I have to die to rid myself of it?

Oh help me…help me…

**_I'm…dying…again!_**

****

**_I'm going under! _**

**_Drowning in you…_**

Why do I feel the others so closely? Is it they who pull me down? Is this their fault?

****

**_I'm falling forever…_**

**_Got to break through!_**

**_I'm going under!_**

****

Please help me…make it let go…pull me up…

Don't let me fall…

Please…

I know they hate me for my silence…

But I can't tell them…

How can I tell them…they will hate me even more…

**_So go on and scream_**

**_Scream at me! _**

**_I'm so far away…_**

****

NO! I won't give up! I can't! You won't pull me down!

****

**_I won't be broken again!_**

**_Got to breathe…_**

**_I can't keep going under!_**

No! I won't be pulled down…I won't be pulled down…

Unnnhhhhhhh…


	8. Can nightmares end?

'Robin!' Beast Boy screamed. 'Robin!'

Cyborg and the girls rushed in. Robin had fallen into Beast Boy's arms, not unconscious, but shaking and twitching, like a seizure in slow motion. 'Argh! What's happening to him?!'

Raven gawped at Robin's gently twitching body. What was happening!?

She put a hand on his forehead, trying to probe into his mind for peace. But as soon as she entered his head there was a loud, screaming voice that deafened her,

_NOOOOOOO!!! STOOOOOOOOOP!! HEEEEEEELLLP!!_

She withdrew her hand quickly, feeling the pain in the cry but hating it, she tried to get away. But the voice carried on in her head.

_DON'T LET IT PULL ME DOWN!! HELP ME!! HELP ME! DON'T IGNORE ME AND LEAVE ME!!! DON'T LEEEEEEAVE MEEE!!_

It wasn't Robin, but not an evil voice either. It was just, something…strangely and awfully familiar…

It was _her_ voice! _She _was screaming in Robin's head! But how could that be?

Robin suddenly woke, and he looked as though he had been chased by a monster of hell. His eyes were wide, and his face stricken and taught.

'I…I'm so sorry…' he put his new gloves to his face. 'Oh gosh…I'm so sorry…'

Raven clutched her head with one hand and staggered forward, falling into Cyborg's metallic arms. 'Ohhhhh…'

Beast Boy helped Robin up again, and asked him firmly, 'Please tell us what's wrong, please! We won't hate you or not believe you for it! Just tell us! We need to understand!'

Robin couldn't argue with Beast Boy's face, which was contorted with terror, sympathy and alarm. It was an innocent face, not one of trickery and hate; it wasn't from his nightmares…

'I'm…not who I am anymore…'

Starfire was concerned. 'Then who are you?'

'I don't know…but not a Titan…I'm…ohhh…a monster…'

'No! What would make you say such an awful thing? You are NOT a monster! You are Robin and you know it!'

Robin looked at her emerald eyes, and stifled a tear of sorrow. 'No…not anymore…'

And with that he jumped out of the window, cries of despair and alarm failing fast behind him.

_**Somewhere deep underground: **_

'Ahh, Cinderblock. Success?'

There was a deep grunt and out of the darkness fell an old, fattish man with white hair that was standing on end. His once-white labcoat was grubby and burnt, and he was shivering.

'Cold?' asked Slade, without really feeling any sympathy.

'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry…' was all the man said.

The masked, merciless individual kicked the blubbering man cruelly. 'Who are you!? Speak!'

But his answer was weak and not really directed at him at all. 'I'm so sorry…I didn't mean it! I didn't want that to happen…I didn't _know_…'

Slade scowled and kicked him again. The poor professor rolled over. 'I'm sorry! Please don't kill me! I didn't mean to! If I could change the past I would! Ohh, those claws and fangs…I'm sorry!' The murmurs turned into wails. This old man before him was suffering a great mental condition, an emotional wreck.

Slade started as he heard what the professor said. '"Claws and fangs" eh? Well, I think you need to tell me the whole story.'

Stryfe, who was quivering with an invisible fear, faced him in a kneeling position. And he related what had happened to him, and to Robin.

'Well, I was really into genetic fusion – and I went forward into life forces. The Teen Titans gave me the perfect idea of world domination. Hee hee,' at this Stryfe giggled madly. Then he continued, 'I wanted to combine all their wretched life forces into one whole body – to make a weapon more powerful than anything ever existing. So I captured them easily, and I chose Robin to dump all their forces into.'

'A wise choice,' said Slade smoothly.

'Yes! Twas, eh? And I did the whole thing perfect, except when I started to deposit the precious life forces – things went…wrong! Agh!'

Slade stared and bored a hole in Stryfe's head to make him continue. 'Yes! Horribly, horribly wrong! It hurt so much! I _felt _the Titans slip through me – they wouldn't let go of me, they didn't want to enter Robin! I thought that a life force had no thought – only power. I was wrong. And I paid for it with such a price!'

'And?'

'I somehow felt the only way to get rid of these ghostly beings was to push them out – not just let them flow. And that was when Robin started to change. He was roaring, with pain fear, or hate, I don't know, but I hated his tone. It made me feel so stupid; I knew I shouldn't have done what I did. He grew fur and a tail, and huge claws and fangs. And he was growling at me! He _hated _me! I could feel his hate through my fingertips; I could feel it burn inside my head! Oh…I'm so sorry!'

'What else happened?' asked Slade impatiently.

'He broke free. Not only of his staples but of my connection to his mind. He _hated _me! He _hated_ me!'

'Yes, I get the point! What happened next?'

'He just…disappeared.'

'Where?

'Outside. Oh, so many times I looked at those faceless bodies – the carrying places of the monster's strength. They stared back at me with such eyes…ooh, such horrible sorrow and emptiness…' Now Stryfe grabbed Slade's shirt and dragged himself up. 'I CREATED A MONSTER! A MONSTER! _I_ CREATED IT!'

Slade pushed him back. 'Is this _monster_ still loose?'

'No…its not…Yes! It _is_ gone!'

'How?!'

'The life forces were returned – somehow…they couldn't survive inside one body with so much hate…hate for _me_…'

Slade turned away and walked by himself. Robin was weakened, definitely. No one could survive a fight with the HIVE, four other life forces, and so much hate. Robin was definitely weak. He had to strike.

Now.

_**Somewhere in the night city:**_

Robin was seething with so many emotions. Ones unexplainable, ones so deep that they had buried themselves under his heart. Poisoning him, dragging him down.

First of all was sorrow. He was weak with unsurfaced tears. He couldn't take the shame of being such a traitor to his friends. The memory of Beast Boy's face filled him with regret and so very much grief. How had he survived this catastrophic ordeal?

Then there was fear. He was so afraid of himself. What would happen to him next? Obviously the life forces had been returned, but was he still the same person? What had happened to him? _Why_ was so low…ohh, did nightmares _ever _end? Was there no saviour for him? No relief?

Then, joy. Joy? How could that be? Had he enjoyed that flight of freedom, carrying the Titan's own lives with him? Had he enjoyed the fight with this _Friction_? Had he actually _liked _being the beast that he had been?

But the most dominant emotion was hate. He felt it seethe through him like a growing fireball, turning everything inside him into an inferno of fury. Most of it was directed at Stryfe, but a lot more went to Slade.

Yes, Slade. That hateful, loathsome, ghastly fiend of a man. That despicable, vile brute had stolen his once care-free life. Now Robin was always on the lookout for villains. He couldn't relax like he used to be able to do. How he _hated _Slade! How he _hated _Stryfe!

God forbid he ever meet them again. If he did…there going to be hell to pay.

_**X X X X**_

Slade had never given up on Robin. Never. He knew that Robin somewhere inside him had a certain loyalty to him. He just needed to feed that loyalty. Make it grow into trust. But it would take a long time to fix that. He needed a more cunning way to trap the Titan's leader into obeying him once again.

He knew exactly where Robin was. Peering over a rooftop, he saw the costumed target striding purposelessly down the empty street. He motioned to Cinderblock.

POW!

A stony fist burst out of the wall and connected with Robin's head. He never had a chance! The force sent him flying across to the other side of the road.

'Well, that was…easier than I expected.' alleged Slade.

Robin didn't even move.

Even then he knew.

He _knew_ soon, he was going to fight again.

_**Yup, that's the beginning of the end. Gee, this story rocks! _ Um, sorry… Anyway, PLEASE review, remember I don't care if you hate it or not. Just tell me! Oh, and say what you think might happen next! I'd like to see what you think…**_


	9. A Hitch in Nevermore

_**Titan's Tower**_

Cyborg was holding back Starfire, who was screaming.

'NO! ROBIN! COME BACK! YOU WILL BE KILLED! ROOOOOBIIIN!!!'

Beast Boy was standing there, shocked. He just didn't believe what he had just seen. Robin…their leader…had he ditched them just for the pity of himself?

Meanwhile Raven, who hadn't shown any sort of emotion, was also standing still. She was listening to the voice inside her head.

_Her _voice!

_Ohhh…please help me…I can't stand this pain…help…help…oh, please help…_

What was it saying? What was hurting Robin's inside so bad? Was it mind or heart? Body or soul?

The only answer…it could only be found in Nevermore.

Raven stole quietly out the room.

**X X X X**

That familiar darkness and red light surrounded her cloaked body speedily. Her feet softly touched the rocky ground of her mind, and her cloak settled around her sinewy form. Something was not right here. She could feel it. It was her mind, after all.

Walking along the black ground, Raven felt the vibes of her mind flow through her – sifting for unusual ones, irregular ones. Rocks of black automatically flew together before her feet, forming a passage across the dark abyss below. She started to search…

_**Far away, in another dimension of Raven's mind:**_

Robin felt weird. Like he was in two places at once. He felt separated from his body – an apparition or a phantom that was lost. What was he doing here?

The world around him was hazy and unreal – dreamlike, almost. He was in a forest of blue; blue leaves, blue trees; blue grass and blue flowers. The sky was unnaturally green, and he felt other beings in here with him. But the scariest thing was the noise.

There wasn't any.

He stood up. Though it didn't feel like standing up, more like lifting upwards like steam. Out from behind a blue tree came Raven. He had a double-take.

'Raven!?! What the-' She was wearing a deep violet cloak, and there was a small purple pansy in her hair.

'Raven? Um…where is here? What are you wearing?'

'This is MY place.' she said simply, but in a soft, seducing voice.

Robin looked sideways at her, avoiding her now-purple eyes. 'Is that a _flower_ in your hair?'

She spoke again in that same hypnotising voice. 'You don't belong here.' There was a very nervous and disturbing silence. Raven frowned. 'Well? Where are you going?'

'What do you mean?' Robin backed away a little.

She glared at him with violet eyes, and he quivered. This couldn't be _his_ Raven.

'I _mean_, where are you going to go? You cannot stay here.' she said, glaring.

'Well, I…' Robin stammered. 'I don't…really…know where I am anyway…and how _do_ I get away from this place?'

She walked towards him further and he started to sweat. This wasn't right!

'You are _here_, in _my _place. Now get out…'

He looked straight into her abysmal eyes. They probed him and enveloped him. They were _hungry _for something – they _enticed_ him for something…

'But _how_?!'

She pointed to a small structure in the near west. A black, horned arch. 'There. Walk through it…and don't return…this is _my _place!'

Feeling that he better do as he was told, Robin complied. As soon as he turned towards the arch and started to walk there, he felt her violet eyes boring into his back. Into his _head_. That was definitely _not_ Raven…not the one he knew.

As he passed the rocky arch, feeling rather stupid walking through such a useless thing – the blue world around him morphed rapidly into another dimension. This one was friendlier – not so quiet and nervous. The world around him this time was _pink_, pure pink with everything smelling nice and a cheery feeling in the air.

'How do I get out of this madworld?!' Robin shouted incredulously. Surely _someone _lived here? And what was with Raven? Where were the other Titans?

'Hahahaha! You're soooo funny!!' A cheerful voice sounded out like a bell.

Robin whirled around and saw Raven again, this time-

'Raven! You're wearing _PINK!?'_ And she really was wearing pink! Of all the weird things to happen – Robin would have never expected this.

'Yea! It's like, my favourite colour!'

'It…is?'

'Yea! Say, what're you doing 'round here? Huh? Isn't this place just so cool!' Then she broke into hysterical laughter.

Robin was shocked to say the least. This wasn't the Raven he knew at all. He was overwhelmed with her sudden happiness. 'Um…where is the real world?' he asked nervously. 'Am I dreaming?'

'The real world? This _is _the real world, silly!' Helpless hilarity once again.

Another Raven, this time dressed in her familiar dark blue, landed beside the pink one.

'What!?' Robin's face was so confused that as soon as the pink Raven saw it, she collapsed and fell to the ground, laughing crazily. The real Raven beckoned to him to follow and they passed through another arch.

Suddenly it was a nightmare world, night sky and red mist. The ground beneath him was uneven and pitch black. Raven turned to face him, and held up a hand to silence any rapid queries. 'I know you're confused and all, but you shouldn't be here anyway. Why are you here?'

'Actually, I was hoping you could tell _me_. Just where _is_ here?'

'This is my mind. My own world.'

Robin made a face as though he was about to puke. 'Your…_mind__?_' he spluttered.

'Yes. Now tell me…why are you here?'

'I don't know! I don't even know how I got here! This just feels like a dream. I doubt this place is even real. I bet even I'm not real.'

'You aren't.'

'Huh?' Robin cocked his head.

'You're a _thought_. You're just an _emotion_. Technically, you don't exist.'

Robin shook his head and laughed nervously, but Raven's face was completely serious. 'I'm…a thought?'

'You don't really exist. You're just a figment of your own imagination.'

'Er Raven...why were you wearing pink?'

Raven slapped her palm to her forehead. 'That doesn't matter! What matters is that you're here when you shouldn't be! I need to get you out of here!' In that moment she made the first possible mistake she could have made. She touched his hand.

Instantly fake memories of fake lives crawled into Robin's imagined brain. He screamed.

Raven stood back and watched him, confused. What had she done?

From somewhere distant a slow cackle rang around her mind of Nevermore. Someone was laughing at her! In her own mind!

Robin's mask fell completely off, but Raven never saw his eyes – they were engulfed in blood-red fire. He looked at her with a terrifyingly familiar glare.

'_Do not come near me…stay away!' _He never spoke but the words rang clearly in Raven's head. They rasped evilly like you would imagine a wolf or snake speak. Like both together.

She backed away from his hideous, dreadful eyes. They were huge and hypnotising. 'Who…are you?' she whispered.

'_Does that matter? Robin belongs to me now! I AM him!'_

'I don't...I don't understand.' Raven trembled. This thing looked nothing like Robin now. It had an arched, maned back, and huge wings grew out of it. It crouched on all fours, twice as large as her. Its claws were almost a foot long each, and two red fangs protruded from its whiskered snout. A whiplash tail with a speared end was poised above it, and it had pointed ears with long, thin knives on the end. It was a _beast__!_

'_No matter how hard you try, you cannot get rid of me! Only if you destroy your friend can you be saved! And you will never, ever do such a thing!!'_

It was right. Even though Raven felt the guilt of duty fall on her, she could never kill Robin. She _knew_ somewhere inside him there was himself – the only thing not enveloped by this…this _beast_.

'_And now, to add to my glorious strength!'_

The thing stood on its hind legs – looking like a colossal werewolf – and howled, lifting its paws to the black sky. Another Raven appeared. This time dressed in red. With four, glowing red eyes. She grinned slyly at Raven and floated behind "it" and stuck her hands onto its back.

There was a huge triumphant roar, and a big flash of red light – and the red Raven exploded into nothing. But the beast grew. And from its eyes conducted small, crackling blots of red.

Raven frowned. She needed her _selves_ again. Could she possibly get rid of it?

Like before, Raven summoned all of her other selves and merged with them, begging them for strength. The beast backed away, eyes wide.

'_What? What…has happened? I thought I absorbed your alter essence! Who are you!?'_

She scowled at it and hurled a huge ball of black fire. 'GET-OUT-OF-MY-HEAD!' The creature disappeared and reappeared, as though struggling to exist. Raven grabbed its snout in her hands and shouted, "Why were you crying for help before? What are you doing?!"

'_I can switch from Robin to you whenever I want! When I am not here, his fear is. I will never leave!'_

'Yes, you will!' She threw an extra mighty ball of black at it, and it blew it right threw the exit portal of Nevermore.

_**Ugh, that's the ending you get when you try to type it all in a day. *shrug* Say what you think will happen next!**_


	10. The Return of Slade

_He slowly opened his eyes. Things were blurry and unreal. There was a humongous pain in the side of his head._

'Well, Robin…awake?'

Robin did wake. And the first thing he saw was the tall, dark figure he hated so much.

'Ssslaade…' he breathed painfully.

The person he spoke of leaned into him and looked him straight in the eye. 'I'm sorry for the headache – but otherwise I don't think you would have cooperated.'

Robin looked at Slade with hate. His mask slanted to its possible limit. He bared his teeth. 'I _hate _you…' he whispered.

Slade's eye smiled infuriatingly. 'Yes, I know you hate me. But, as you are here now – I think you know that _I _don't hate _you_.'

Robin gritted his teeth so hard he felt his jaw would break. He was tied to a wall of metal, this time with only small steel cuffs attaching his wrists, neck, waist and ankles to the wall behind him. He was helpless. And what made it so much worse was that he had no choice but to watch Slade gloat at his capture.

'What do you want this time?' he asked angrily – but still definitely pained.

His merciless foe turned and walked away. Well, he actually _swaggered_; you just hatedto see him so happy.

'The offer still hangs, Robin. You can still become my Apprentice yet again. I have forgiven your past actions. In fact, I am quite impressed by how you have improved.'

'You _spy _on me?! You…you…grrah!' Robin felt like spitting on Slade's breastplate.

'Now now, don't be obstinate. This is a great offer, if you think about it.'

'I _HATE_ YOU!'

'Yes, I know you do. But you're in no position to fight, argue, or retaliate. So quit your whining and listen.

'You have many wonderful virtues Robin, it'd be such a shame to waste them on your "superhero" occupation and your stupid friends.' the sentence was said with disdain.

Robin looked straight at Slade. 'They AREN'T stupid, YOU are! I hate you!' and he spat at Slade's feet.

Slade watched the ground in front of him for a small while, and then faced Robin again. 'You need to learn some proper respect, young man.'

Robin was just about to yell again about being called young man when he felt a huge jolt of energy surge through him. It felt like it broke all of his bones in one shot.

'Owwwww…' he complained.

Slade grinned. 'I can do that again, you know. I can do that as often as I want. I can make it more painful too.'

'Then why don't you? Is this your new manipulative method?'

'No, it's not. You'll never find out what it is if you obey me.'

'I WON'T!'

'You will, you will…'

Robin felt helpless in his open prison. He needed help again…

_**Titan's Tower**_

'Uh, Raven?' Beast Boy peered into her room. Raven was lying on the floor holding the mirror he so dreaded. He rushed to her side and turned her onto her back, resting her head in his lap. 'Raven? Raven! Wake up!'

Her eyes snapped open. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM?!'

Beast Boy was terrified of Raven when she was in a bad mood. 'I'm sorry…' he whispered, and crawled out of the room.

The dark girl instantly scolded herself for being so nasty. Poor Beast Boy, he had really only tried to help…

But she still had to figure out where Robin had gone…or whoever got in his way would…be deceased…

_**Slade's Hideout:**_

Robin had tried countless times to escape, but the steel hung firm. And now Slade had another remote-control which now sent a bolt of electricity through his body if he didn't cooperate. The blood from his arms had already seeped down into his chest, and they felt extremely cold. Because they were stapled above his head, they were dead without their circulation.

'Rrrrrrrr…Slade…' he growled. How had he let himself be captured? At least this time he hadn't been led here and embarrassingly trapped to work for him.

'Yes?'

Robin jumped and Slade appeared out of the darkness.

'Go away!' snarled Robin. 'I won't accept!'

'You will, you know. I haven't shown you my new…what did you call it? Oh yes, my _new manipulative method_. You haven't seen that yet.'

'I _hate _you!'

Slade frowned. 'That's getting a bit _old_, don't you think?'

Robin just glared at him.

But Slade wasn't perturbed. 'I know you think you can escape, but really, seriously, you can't. Your friends don't even know you're here. They think you've ditched them. So your manner in leaving was quite to my satisfaction – they won't come to find you.'

The realization of it hit Robin wholly in the head. It was true! The Titans thought that he didn't want to be with them anymore…they would never come…

_**Meanwhile…**_

Robin couldn't have been more wrong.

The Titans would not let their one and only leader escape. It was his choice to leave, but not theirs to lose their leader.

They spent the whole night searching the city. In alleys, close roads, malls, rooftops, the bridge, all around the Tower and even in some regular buildings. But they hadn't found any traces of Robin. Until, of course, they found the road of his capture.

'Woah! Something definitely happened here!' whistled Beast Boy, looking at the debris of the stone wall all over the asphalt.

Starfire looked to the night sky, eyes wet with tears. 'Oh, if only we had some idea of where Robin has gone.'

'You know what?' said Beast Boy as he changed back from a dog. 'This hole simply reeks with Cinderblock.'

Another staring silence.

Raven groaned.

Starfire whimpered.

Cyborg slapped his face and rubbed his hand down it.

'It's the return of Slade!'


	11. Entrapment

**Random Comment: Have you ever wondered who that butler is on Divide and Conquer? Why hasn't he ever shown up again?**

Slade paced back and forward. Being right in front of his prisoner, it made Robin very dizzy.

Robin still hadn't been released from his wall staples – he'd been in that same hanging position for almost three hours now. If only Slade would let him down – maybe onto something flat…

His wish came surprisingly quick. 'Get him down,' said Slade, without taking his eyes of Robin. Cinderblock undid the steel cuffs, and held Robin tight to his chest – making him helpless.

Slade, in one quick moment, jabbed a syringe into Robin's neck. Robin made a small gurgle, and then fell silent. All things blurred before him as his eyes started to sleep.

'Hmmm…Cinderblock, could you er…' Slade looked at Robin. '_Look after_ my apprentice for awhile? I need to talk to a certain someone.'

Cinderblock grunted out of the darkness. Slade nodded and took one last look at the seething Titan leader – then disappeared.

Robin managed to yell after him. 'I'M NOT YOUR APPRENTICE!' And he fainted.

_**X X X X A small, violent portion has been deleted here, due to the disgust of the author. XD Carry on...**_

When Slade returned to Robin, he was glad to see that his new apprentice was dressed differently. Instead of his "R" costume, he was wearing a black bodysuit with metallic shoulderplates, wristplates, greaves and a steel utility belt. Loosely around his neck was a steel torque that mostly rested on his upper chest and back. On his chest was a black metal breastplate. He was wearing black gloves and boots which were marked with an "S" insignia. This was also over his heart.

'Well…' murmured Slade, and carried Robin's body to his butler. (Er, **B**utler) 'Heal him,' he said firmly. 'As fast as you possibly can. And er…nice uniform.'

Slade resumed his pacing. He had spoken with his "certain someone", the headmistress, in person. But she had not revealed much for the case of probing graduates.

Now he had to speak with her _properly_.

'This is only a small setback,' he whispered to himself. 'He's mine…'

_**24 hours later, at The Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination:**_

Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth were on Punishment Fatigues. Since their desertion of their mission they had been doing nothing else. Daily chores, cleaning things that were already clean.

Haste had been expelled.

It was the last thing they expected to hear when they were summoned to the main briefing room again.

Another mission,' said their headmistress.

'Not capture.' said Gizmo quickly. 'I'd rather clean this whole place than face that…that _thing_ again…'

'Silence! No, it is _not_ capture, this is luring.'

'_Luring?!_'

'_Yes_, luring. I want you to _lure _the Teen Titans to…to somewhere.'

'The _Teen Titans?!_'

'Stop that! Yes, that is exactly what I said. Now here are the coordinates to lead them to.'

The trio stared at her, dumbfounded. Did she really trust them this much? So _fast_?

'Er, okay…' said Jinx, taking the disk.

'I DON'T want you to screw this one up – it's very important.' their principal said.

And they left, right then. They had no idea…

_**Slade's hideout:**_

'Roooobin…' A voice with put-on sweetness sounded out in his head. Robin knew who it was, and he wouldn't give Slade the satisfaction by responding.

'Wake up, you idiot.' Robin felt himself being pushed off a table. He hit the stone floor with a _boof!_

'Oww…' Suddenly bolts of pain seared through his chest. making him almost whimper – but he caught himself just in time.

'Lovely to see you're awake, Robin.'

'I hate you.'

Robin felt the new material against his skin. It was slightly lighter and thinner. His belt lacked the familiar weight of gadgets – things he would probably only earn once he did some dirty work for Slade. That rotten !#&$()!

A hand suddenly shot out of the darkness and grabbed Robin's head, grasping around his skull. Robin tried to retaliate, but his cracked ribs handicapped him from the struggle. Slade eventually had Robin with his head against the ground and his arm held in the air. Slade's own foot on was on Robin's back to keep him on the ground.

'My, Robin. Losing your touch?' he said in his monotonous, mocking voice. The very sound of it made Robin quiver with rage.

'Get off me!'

But Slade held him there. In fact, he pulled Robin's arm over a little further, making him wrench his face in pain. 'You should address me as Master, Robin.'

Robin growled and tried to push Slade away from his back, which was paining him worse than ever. 'I'm not your stupid Apprentice!'

'You are. There's no choice now. You just don't realise how important this offer is, do you? That's why I'm keeping you here in quarantine until you change your mind.'

The Titan yelled out, 'I WON'T be some stupid sidekick working for some power-crazed moron! You can't make me! I'll escape from here!'

'No, you won't.'

'Why not? What's to stop me?!'

'If you don't cooperate, I'll make you angry.' Slade hissed maliciously, but still managed to sound mockingly. '_Very_ angry.'

Robin snorted. 'Pff! As if making me angry would-' he paused abruptly. His eyes widened.

Slade grinned. 'Hah, you weren't expecting that, were you?'

But his would-be Apprentice just lay there, in that grappled position. Could he possibly know? How on earth could Slade know? _How_?

Slade let him drop to the stone floor. _Boof!_ 'I'll let you consider that, eh?' and he walked off.

No. No! It couldn't be! NO! How had Slade found out? Was he just bluffing? Was it a trick? Or was he just talking about something else?

No. He was talking about the thing he dreaded. Robin knew that Slade knew. How, who knows. But this was a disaster! He was entrapped in Slade's evil plans! Could he ever escape?

_**WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS NEXT, EH? Thanks a bunch for reading… **_


	12. Allurement

_I hate him. I hate him. I hate him…_

Robin seethed at his predicament. _How_ could he have let that bastard sneak up on him? Now he was trapped for good, and Slade _knew. _He actually _knew. _He needed the Titans again…but they'd never find him here…and they wouldn't come anyway, they thought he didn't want to be with them anymore…

_**Titan Tower, at that moment in time:**_

The Titans were stumped as to how to find Robin – again. Obviously Slade had still kept his eyes on Robin, much to everyone's inconvenience. They didn't know how Robin was at that moment, but they knew definitely that he couldn't stay with the master of crime too long…it would poison his mind completely. And wherever he was, they couldn't find him.

Beast Boy, again, was pacing up and down. One of his favourite hobbies when they were up to their noses in mystery.

'Okay, we have to locate him _somehow_!' he whined when he finally paused in his pacing.

The other Titans groaned. He had been doing this for ages – and what good had it done?

'Please Beast Boy,' pleaded Starfire. 'Your monotonous stride may assist in your personal preparation, but for us it only dizzies and crombogulates our concentration.'

Her astounding vocabulary stunned Beast Boy. He squinted at her.

'Please don't do that.'

Cyborg sighed and draped himself over the couch. 'Oh, _man_. I am sooooo stumped.'

Starfire looked at him. 'Stumped? What does this earth word mean?'

'Oh, Star. It means I don't know what to do.'

'But it is utterly obvious what we are supposed to do!'

All the Titans looked at her with hope. 'What? What is it?'

She stared back at them with earnest. 'We must find Robin!' They all groaned.

Raven returned to the computer and reviewed all their clues again – knowing there was no real evidence as to where their leader was. Oh, it was so aggravating; the way Robin was so slippery. How could they help him if he didn't even have his own tracking device? Surely he owned at least a score of them.

And that monster in Nevermore – it had said that it was Robin's hate, and that it could breed in her mind until it decided to return to its own body. Of course, Raven had banished it back to Robin, but did that make things any better? Probably not.

Then the screen turned black – but not before a crackle of pink electricity ran across it.

'It's her…' breathed Raven. 'It's _them_.'

There was a bang and out of the nearby door blasted the trio they hated so much.

'Well, well, if it isn't our old friends!' said Gizmo in an I'm-just-so-cool-don't-I-make-such-a-great-villain sort of way. 'The _Titans_.'

'Well, well, if it isn't old runty here to get his butt kicked again!' countered Cyborg, pushing his face right up to Gizmo's.

The boy genius shook his finger at the robot-man. 'Tch tch, not so. You have no friend to sneak up on me and disable my equipment…do you?'

Cyborg made a face. 'Oh. Well, that doesn't make any difference. And uh…how do _you _know?'

'I just do. It's my job, y'know.'

Jinx rolled her eyes. 'Yea, sure, whatever lovebirds. We have a team to kill.'

'Haah!' she shrieked, and threw the pink hex at Cyborg, aiming to disable his system. He was protected by a black shield that covered him like a dome. Jinx yelled in fury and instead threw a similar hex at Raven, who moved the dome over her own body. Immediately Jinx conjured another bolt of pink and with acute reflexes, flung it again at Cyborg. Raven was too slow…Cyborg was defenceless.

Beast Boy transformed into a tiger and leapt with as much momentum as possible at Mammoth – but the giant just swung his fist at the perfect moment and the emerald tiger flew backwards. Just before Beast Boy hit the window glass, he morphed into a turtle and hid inside his shell – the impact made no dent in his body. There was a huge crash as he burst through the huge crystal pane.

Once out in the cold night air, he was a hawk. But before he could fly back in, Cyborg was thrown out of the hole he had made. Cawing in panic, Beast Boy dug his talons into Cyborg and heaved his buddy upwards again, but couldn't withstand the weight for long. He fell, talons still locked around a groove in Cyborg's armour, and flapping and cawing hysterically. He cawed out in the best English he could.

'Raaaaaaaaaaaaaavin! Kcarfiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrr!'

The two girls peeked over the edge and saw them falling. Raven was about to jump out when a blast from Gizmo sent her flying into the night anyway. Ignoring the pain, she not only fell, but telekinetically enhanced her momentum – for Cyborg was falling rapidly.

Starfire climbed out too, and the HIVE followed, still hurling missiles at her and her friends. Raven solidified the air beneath Cyborg, and he fell onto a carpet of black in mid-air. Beast Boy flopped down beside him, wings sore and completely numb.

Raven moved the black platform down to the ground, and instead of letting them off low to the ground, tipped it and they fell the last few feet. Cyborg landed on his feet, and caught Beast Boy, who was still panting from his failed rescue. All four finally landed on the road across from the island.

'Are they gone?'

'No! And you just jinxed it!' came a cackling voice, and they turned to face the HIVE again.

'Man, you guys. We're in the middle of a rescue mission!'

Mammoth grinned stupidly. 'And we're here to bug you, to see how long you last before you surrender.'

Starfire bristled. 'We would never yield to quarbagbarblanooks such as you!'

'You'll see…you'll see.'

And so began a game of cat and mouse, back and forth. The Titans couldn't manage to fight properly without their leader and kept running across the city. Finally, after about an hour of running, flying, evading and attacking, the HIVE and the Titans were both exhausted.

'Now…is the time…for real…battle…eh?' said Gizmo in-between puffs.

Beast Boy was leaning on Cyborg for support. 'Gee…you guys…really…push it…dontcha?'

Jinx was the most dignified, as well as Raven, so she hid her weariness. 'Oh, shut up. We're just doing our job.'

Raven perked up completely. 'What job?' she said suspiciously.

'Our job.'

'Which is to kill us, right?'

Jinx pushed her face right up to Starfire's. 'Actually, that's someone else's job.'

'Whose?'

'Your own leader.'

'WHAT!?' All four Titan's cried in unison.

'Yup.' said Jinx happily.

'No way!'

'Can't be!'

'Liar!'

'That is not true!'

'Then let's find out!' Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth ran into a nearby building, the Titans close after them. But when all four heroes got into the dark place, the HIVE were nowhere to be found. Then they heard a harsh and evil laugh that sounded very familiar.

There was a sort of "psssssssssshhhhhhhhh" sound that started up, and white fog drifted towards them.

'Get outta here!' yelled Raven. 'Come on!' But it was too late. The mist drifted into their mouths and up their nostrils – and deadened their brains to sleep…all of the Titans collapsed, and were asleep even before they hit the ground.

_**Righto, to you magnificent, radical and wonderful readers out there who have persevered to read this far…well done. It would do me great happiness if you'd just click that little "Go" button down there next to Send Review. I don't care if you haven't enjoyed the story, but I would very much like it if you could just say something…a compliment, a comment of spelling or grammar, a topic that bothers you, or simply a random word which shows you care about my story…thanks heaps to KelseyAlicia, Darktiger2, Raven A. Star. You guys rock.**_


	13. In hate, away fear

Raven was once again the one to wake first. She groaned quietly, as she recalled the white gas. The Titans were letting down their guard. She felt familiar steel staples holding her to a vertical bed of metal – and sensed a diverse, mysterious bout of dei ja vu. Everything was the same…but from what? From where? From _when_?

The darkness around her was only kept back from enveloping her by a weak bronze light that sent gloomy vibes off shivering inside her. The whole atmosphere was…it was rather mind-weakening and soft. It reminded her of the idea of heaps of sugar and honey making you sick.

'Dude, I am, right now, officially freaked out. I swear I've been here before…' Raven was prevented by looking at the owner of the voice to her right by a black laser haze surrounding her head. It befuzzled her mind completely. She spoke,

'Beast Boy? Can you see?'

'Ho yes, o duchess of the dead. I see you and Starfire and Cyborg. That's pretty much it.'

Starfire woke now, and was set off into a panic. 'Arrrgh! Where are we? Where is this? What is holding me? Oh no, I cannot conjure a starbolt! Whatever shall I do?! It's so dark! What is this strange light!? Is this what death is!? Why can't-

'STARFIRE!' bellowed Beast Boy and Raven simultaneously. She looked to them. 'Oh. Hello friends.'

'Will you two shut up…I got the biggest headache in the history of bad headaches.'

'Cyborg! You have awoken too!' Starfire's voice sounded with joy, forgetting her mini-panic attack.

'Yea...just don't shout anymore, _please_.'

Before a Beast Boy could crack the incoming pun, Raven hissed 'Shh!' and they all fell silent. Some metallic clinking could be heard not far away into the shadows. The clinking came closer, sounding like a heavy iron chain, and then it stopped suddenly. But a small, croaky voice sounded out weakly,

'Raven? Ssstar…fiirre?'

The Tamaranean instantly recognised the voice, even though it was distorted and vague. 'Robin!'

Some more clinking, and then a black-clothed Robin came slightly into view. He wore a familiar uniform, sporting the hated 'S' insignia.

'Oh, Robin! What has our arch nemesis done to you!?' Starfire cried dispiritedly.

He croaked hoarsely, to them. 'Nothing…Except…starve me. And…I'm so…tired…'

'You've only been gone a couple o' days, man. What's the deal?'

Robin looked at Beast Boy with despair in his eyes. 'I just…hate him…so much…'

'Where is he? Where is that half-faced asshole?! I'll kill him!' yelled Cyborg.

'He's not here…but he's coming back…he always comes back…always…'

'You sound absolutely stoned, fella. What'd he do t'you?'

'Beast Boy, we already asked.'

'I mean…he looks drugged…or even…'

Robin stepped further into the weak light and the Titans saw for real what his morale problem was.

There was a thick iron torque surrounding the whole of his neck, from his chin to his collarbone. To the right was an iron staple to which was connected the heavy, thick chain. Robin was not only a captive; he was a prisoner in a dungeon of darkness. He had no way out, spending his time in gloom and with a power-crazed maniac. He was being brought down…he was being _pulled under_.

'Oh-my-gosh.'

'You've _got _to be kidding.'

'Oh…no…'

'Why does he do this!'

Raven looked down on Robin from her own shackled spot on the wall. 'You need to tell us what happened. That day…that night…'

Robin looked away. 'We were captured. A man named Stryfe strapped as all to metal walls, and he talked about stuff.'

'What stuff? What did he _do_?'

'He…he…it doesn't matter.'

'Yes…it does.'

'No…'

'Robin, please tell us!'

'I…I…'

'He doesn't have to tell the lot of you pathetic idiots about it.' said the calm voice of their hated enemy.

'Slade!' breathed the Titans.

'Looks like it doesn't it?'

Slade put his gauntleted hand on Robin's drooped, dusty shoulder. Robin flinched slightly, but didn't fight back. 'I think he doesn't want to…so leave him alone.' said his captor.

'Since when did you like sticking up for him?' spat Beast Boy.

'Since when didn't I?' was the soft reply.

Cyborg struggled in his vertical bed of metal. 'Why-are-we-here-you-twisted-maniac?!'

'To help your old friend of course.'

'What old friend?'

'My Apprentice.'

Robin frowned as he looked at the ground. 'I'm-not-you're-stupid-Apprentice!' he hissed.

The hand on his shoulder gripped tighter, and the steel of his gauntlet cut agonizingly into his flesh. 'Oh, but you are. You have no choice in the matter.'

The Titans tensed, gritting their teeth. Of all the criminals they'd fought against, Slade was the only one who could manage to get right into Robin's mind.

'Well, I suppose the time has come for me to reveal my cunning plan, then. Right, Apprentice?'

Robin gritted his teeth and his fist flew out into the darkness beside him and hit what sounded like a stone pillar with great force. Stone crumbled onto the ground around him.

Slade made a small laugh and clicked his fingers. A familiar, elderly man crawled out of the darkness.

At the sight of him Robin gasped awfully and jumped backwards. The other Titans were quite surprised, as they knew not who this man was.

'This, Teen Titans, is Professor Stryfe.'

At that moment Robin had been quivering in fear, but at the sound of the one-syllable name he growled and leapt forward, grasping at the old man's neck. Slade pulled him hastily away and threw Robin into the nearby pillar. 'Off him, Robin!'

Robin quickly got up again, and this time went for Slade, who moved closer to the Titans. In mid-air the weighty chain went taught and Robin yelped as he was flung backward again. Slade laughed. Meanwhile, Stryfe was terrified completely and was trying to loosen himself from Slade's grasp.

Slade turned around and whispered in Stryfe's ear. The white-haired man shook his head in alarm and shouted, 'NO! YOU CAN' T MAKE ME! I PROMISED MYSELF I WOULD NEVER-' He was stunned by the fist of his captor.

'Do it now…or I'll set _it _loose on you!'

Galvanized by his terror of Robin, Stryfe went to his horrid work immediately. He repeated his actions he had done last time – wires and cables that were provided wholly by Slade. Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire felt memories starting to flow back, they felt what was happening – and the dreaded black and crystal-orbed belt triggered the worst of them.

Slade pulled out a remote-control trigger and pressed the single button on it. Some receptor in Robin's collar beeped and sent a throb of electricity rushing through his body. He didn't make a sound, but slumped onto the ground, dazed. Slade rapidly twirled another thick white cable to Robin's tether before he could recover.

Stryfe, finished connecting his cables, was sobbing loudly in front of the Titans, wishing he could just disappear. The Titans memories were flowing back faster now, and their struggling intensified. Slade stuck an extra wire to the professor's belt, and Raven noticed that it was actually connected to Slade's own belt.

Stryfe looked fearfully up at his masked captor, wondering why he wished to lose his precious life-force. But Slade knew exactly what he was doing, as he lowered the dial's digits to below half. This meant not all of his and the Titan's life-forces would be sucked out…only partly - for if Robin suffered more of this, he would become completely out of his control. Best to keep his Apprentice as human as possible.

Before Slade could pull the toggle to end the Titans and gain a loyal Apprentice, Robin stood up again and yelled out,

'I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU _SO MUCH!__**'**_

And with that, he pulled extra hard on the chain. It snapped! Hate bred in Robin's heart like wildfire, banishing all fears and starting to transform him before their very eyes. He grew taller, regained his wolf-like, sinewy legs, his paws and claws and fangs. In fact, while he changed, he was leaping at Slade with all claws drawn.

'GRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!'

Before his furred and clawed hands could wrap themselves around Slade's neck, the masked villain slipped away into the shadows. Robin howled hauntingly and sped after him, swerving with fantastic reflexes. The Titans hung there in their metal straps, wide-eyed with horror at this beast which had taken over their leader. Then Raven finally shouted,

'Robin! ROBIN! HELP US FIRST!'

Her yell fell on deaf ears. Robin was too blinded by hate - all he could see was Slade, and all he could feel was the ultimate lust to destroy him. He charged after the master criminal, growling wildly and all claws spread. His eyes behind his mask were glowing a fiery, hateful blood-red, and Slade - for the first time in his life - felt slightly afraid.

But Stryfe felt he had done enough repulsive work and freed all four Titans with a yank of a lever. They all fell down from their straps and he kneeled before him.

'Oh please! Please! Get me out of here!'

Beast Boy morphed into an elephant and hurled him into the darkness. Cyborg turned on his light and turned around, looking for Robin, or whatever Robin had become.

Running in a fearful dash from the beast that was supposed to be his Apprentice, Slade dive-rolled into a tunnel-like shaft. Robin skidded across the stony floor, claws screeching, stopping before he got to the shaft, which he completely demolished with one swing of his paw. Slade appeared above, this time holding a long, curved rod. Out of it he pulled a sabre, and landed near the Titans brandishing his new weapon.

Robin sprinted to him nonetheless, either unaware of the blade or ignoring it completely. As he ran, fur grew and grew until he was fully in a shaggy black coat. His tail grew longer and thinner until it was a black scourge, waving behind him. Robin's face also changed, from humanoid features it changed into a wolf snout and long ears – fangs growing into lethal knives. Slowly but surely his body curved over, until his back was arched and Robin was running on four legs. But he now didn't look like Robin – he was nightmare creature Raven had banished from Nevermore!

It roared dementedly, foam flecking at its mouth. Slade ran for his life, trying to find a gun to rid his den of the monster. He backed himself against a tall stone wall and faced it, eye wide.

It never paused in its continuous pace; it sped up dramatically and roared as it charged at Slade. The masked villain held forth the sword and managed one last laugh. Robin never stopped – he sprinted on towards Slade, hate driving him forward…

…and he ran into the sword.


	14. Dawn

Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy all screamed. Cyborg shouted out what they all had to say,

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'

Even Slade was stunned. The curving steel of the sword had skewered Robin right through, protruding out of his back most of the way. His features rapidly changed from monster to human again, until he was just the same old Titan leader. He croaked quietly.

'Ooorrhhh…' He collapsed.

Slade quickly withdrew the sword and threw it away, in the same movement kneeling beside the stabbed Robin, as if concerned. The other Titans ran to him, and pushed Slade away. Cyborg aimed his sonic cannon at him.

'You son of a BITCH!'

Slade was dumbstruck. He couldn't believe it. And neither could the Titans. He slid backward into the darkness, and fled.

'C'mon, man! C'mon! Speak to me!' said Cyborg, now cradling his leader in his huge metallic arms. Beast Boy, Starfire and Raven had all forgotten Slade, all they could think about was the shock of that drastic moment. Robin, their faithful and fair leader, was _dead_.

'Oh, _no_! Oh, Robin…no, please, _Robin_…'

Starfire wept, loud sobs echoing round in the gloomy stone hall. Raven closed her eyes and kept her sorrow to herself, as well as her growing anger. Beast Boy turned into a squirrel and curled his long bushy tail around Robin's limp neck, sitting on his shoulder and squeaking dismay.

'Yaagh!' Cyborg dropped his leader.

A black apparition floated out of Robin's body, like some wraith of hell. It swirled around them, pinpricks of red seeming to be eyes, and when it touched each Titan, they felt completely and utterly cold, but _complete_. Up into the roof it went, until the horrible, ghostly luminescence had disappeared.

Starfire's sobs grew louder, and Cyborg moaned. Was that...was that Robins...?

Now all of them were kneeling on the floor, tears streaming. Even Raven felt salty water pass her lips. How could she stop it? Robin was _dead_.

'What…sort of…superheroes…are you then? Crying…like…little babies?' said a hoarse voice.

'Who said that?' said Raven, standing up. Then her heart skipped a beat.

Looking down at Robin's limp and lifeless frame, she saw the hole through the fabric through which the sword must have gone. But no blood poured from it, there was no wound. His lips parted in a weak grin and said

'I have…_a really…_big…headache.' he gasped in each pause, smiling, with eyes still shut.

'Oh, ROBIN!' cried Starfire, and grabbed him in a humongous bearhug. She squeezed him hard, elated and extremely overcome with relief.

'Sssstarfffire…plllease…let go!' he said in one crushed gasp. But she didn't. She flew up into the air and shouted happily, with Robin still fighting for breath. When she came back down, he was instantly seized by a huge, green grizzly bear and was lost in the long shaggy fur of another bearhug. Cyborg slapped him on the back, laughing with delight. Raven neglected to touch him, wiping her eyes embarrassedly.

When he was released, Robin stood perfectly on his own, in a ripped black Slade uniform. He was alright! He _wasn't_ dead! Raven stood in front of him, holding her silence, then without warning flung her arms around him. 'We thought you were gone…' she whispered, with mixed feeling. He hugged her back, though definitely stunned that Raven was showing her emotion so fully. No one noticed the broken pillar melting into black ooze next to them.

'Gone? Nah…where's Slade?'

Cyborg punched his other hand. 'Damn, he'd better watch out if I see him again! I'll _kill _the guy!'

'No, _I'll _kill him!' said Beast Boy menacingly.

'We must give him the justice he deserves!' growled Starfire, now angry and over her elation. 'Throw him into the grapaltamor pit!'

Raven stood back from Robin, staggered at herself for being so open. 'I hate him too.' she said in a barely audible hiss.

But Robin, of all people, stopped them. He remembered perfectly the image of Slade's petrified single eye, and his shivering in fear. Slade hadn't tried to kill him, it had been pure accident and he was probably thinking now he had no Apprentice.

'You guys…he thinks I'm dead. Let's leave it for now.'

'WHAT!?' said all four Titans incredulously and simultaneously.

'Well, we should take a break…um…I just wanna go home.'

Beast Boy nodded. 'And EAT! I'm STARVING!'

Cyborg stopped Robin from walking forward. 'Whoa there. Doesn't anyone else wonder how he's still alive? You were totally impaled.'

Robin shrugged. He could never explain it either. The only person to understand was Raven. She knew what had happened – she had met the physical form of that wraith. All this time, Robin must have actually been unconscious, awake only by the beast within.

With Stryfe tied up, the Teen Titans eventually found their way out, and opened the last door. Sunrise glared at them over the rooftops, rays seeping into their cold bodies. That moment must have been one of those which look very melodramatic, but still inspirational. It was dawn.

The superheroes of the city made their way home.

_**Titan's Tower rooftop:**_

'So,' said Beast Boy. 'You ready to tell us what happened then?'

Robin just looked over the Tower edge at the marvellous view, the sun rising at his back. 'Do I have to?' he sighed. The zephyr ruffled his and his friend's hair.

'Well, I guess not. It's just that I feel weird, not knowing exactly what happened during a few hours of my life.' the changeling stood beside his leader and put his arm around him in a chum-like way. 'Your choice, big buddy.'

'Oh…maybe.'

'What's up with this Slade thing anyway? Usually we stop _you _from going to kill him.'

'I dunno.'

Beast Boy, slightly more dense than anyone else, didn't realise Robin wasn't in a talking mood. So he carried on,

'And how are you alive anyway? I mean, I _saw_ you…that is, I saw you…the _sword_, and…'

'I guess…I guess you can't live on hate if you want to live a life.'

The green superhero jumped away from him. 'You're speaking in riddles fella.'

Robin shook his head and smiled, the second time in sooooo long. 'That doesn't matter. I'm alive…and that's _all_.'

'At least this whole "beast" thing is over then, huh?'

'Uh...yea. It's all over.'

'Well, that's great! No more Slade, no more secrets. I'm the Titan's beast from now on. C'mon, Cyborg's makin' second breakfast.' Beast Boy ran to the lift and said, 'Well, comin'?'

'Yea.' said Robin quietly. Somehow what the changeling had said made him think more thoroughly about this whole ordeal. Was it really over? Was he _really _free?

Somehow…Robin knew it wasn't.

Somehow…the war was only a few battles in.

_**Please review, and I'll understand if you hate it, because…well, frankly, I'm not too proud of it either. **_


	15. Epilogue

_**Somewhere far away into the city, in a dark alley…**_

It was covered in dust. Completely sizzled to a crisp. The whole of it was charred black and still smoke rose from it. How long it had been this way, who knows.

But the thing moved. It splayed its limbs until it was quite obvious it was some sort of mutated human. Bits of burnt fabric fell in torrents as the once-green clothing it wore was bent and sizzled into fragments. It stood up, and shook its head until all charred dust was blown away.

It was a girl. Wounded and burnt throughout her whole body, gashes and hideous burns strewn willy-nilly all over her. It was a disgusting sight to look at her face, almost no nose, red holes for eyes and a mouth with slashes on each side, making it look like a sickeningly wide grin.

All she could think of was the creature, the creature who took her face, her flesh and her dignity. But not her life!

It was going to _die._

**X X X X**

Slade steepled his fingers as he watched Stryfe cower before him. 'I know they're still connected. I'm not stupid.'

Stryfe's eyes rolled wildly. 'But it may erase everything they know, everything they are.'

'I'm willing to risk their pitiful memories. Now do it.' Slade leaned forward and clenched his fist.

Stryfe put one hand to his head and used the other to press the button. The relay began.

'Good.' Slade's eye smiled menacingly. 'This isn't over yet, Titans.'

_**Wassup with all these cool reviews? You guys totally ROCK! Thank you sooo much. Just coz I love yaz, I decided to start a sequel! Check my profile to find it. 3**_


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